Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Joe Rogan

Public opinion and media debates around Joe Rogan—discover key moments of controversy.

Joe Rogan is an American podcaster, comedian, UFC color commentator, actor, and former television host, best known for hosting 'The Joe Rogan Experience' podcast. The podcast features conversations with a wide range of guests, discussing topics like current events, comedy, politics, science, philosophy, and martial arts. 'The Joe Rogan Experience' has gained immense popularity, becoming one of the most listened to podcasts globally and the most streamed on Spotify since 2020. Rogan's career spans across various entertainment mediums, contributing to his widespread recognition and influence.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1993: Initial Joke Thievery Claim

Since 1993, Joe Rogan had been making claims that comedian Carlos Mencia was stealing jokes, initiating a long-term dispute.

2005: Blog Entry Accusing Carlos Mencia

In 2005, Joe Rogan wrote a blog entry on his website accusing comedian Carlos Mencia of joke thievery, escalating a long-standing claim.

February 2007: Confrontation with Carlos Mencia

In February 2007, Joe Rogan confronted Carlos Mencia on stage at The Comedy Store in Hollywood over joke thievery allegations.

2010: Accusation of Joke Thievery

In 2010, Joe Rogan accused comedian Dane Cook of joke thievery, adding to his history of addressing such issues in the comedy world.

April 2021: Contentious Remarks About COVID-19 Vaccines

In April 2021, Joe Rogan made contentious remarks about COVID-19 vaccines, claiming that young, healthy people do not need to be vaccinated, sparking criticism.

September 1, 2021: Tests Positive for COVID-19

On September 1, 2021, Joe Rogan tested positive for COVID-19 and began a treatment regimen including monoclonal antibodies, prednisone, azithromycin, NAD drip, a vitamin drip, and ivermectin.

January 2022: Open Letter from Scientists Regarding Misinformation

In January 2022, 270 scientists, physicians, professors, doctors, and healthcare workers wrote an open letter to Spotify expressing concern over "false and societally harmful assertions" on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' and asked Spotify to "establish a clear and public policy to moderate misinformation on its platform".

January 24, 2022: Neil Young Demands Removal of Music from Spotify

On January 24, 2022, Neil Young demanded that Spotify remove his music if they did not remove 'The Joe Rogan Experience' due to misinformation concerns.

February 4, 2022: Spotify Removes 70 Joe Rogan Episodes

On February 4, 2022, Spotify removed 70 episodes of Joe Rogan's podcast which pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic. Spotify stated that Joe Rogan selected the episodes to be removed following discussions about his history of using racially insensitive language.

February 2022: Spotify Removes Episodes of 'The Joe Rogan Experience'

In February 2022, Spotify removed 113 episodes of 'The Joe Rogan Experience', partly due to perceived racist and insensitive language.

February 2022: Controversy over Racial Slur Usage

In February 2022, singer India Arie shared a compilation of Joe Rogan saying the racial slur "nigger" on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' on Instagram, leading to Rogan's apology and claims of a "political hit job".

April 2022: Comments on Transgender Athletes

In April 2022, Joe Rogan criticized transgender women competing in women's sports, specifically mentioning transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and martial artist Fallon Fox, expressing concerns about physical advantages. Rogan stated that Lia Thomas "might be the woke straw that breaks society's camel's back".

October 2022: Promotion of Litter Boxes in Schools Hoax

In October 2022, during an interview with Tulsi Gabbard, Joe Rogan shared the debunked conspiracy theory about public schools providing litter boxes for students who identify as cats. Rogan later admitted there was no proof, but falsely claimed there were discussions considering the idea.

February 2023: Antisemitic Comments

In February 2023, Joe Rogan made comments on his podcast about Jewish people and money, which were widely criticized as antisemitic. Rogan's comment was in defense of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. The Director of the Anti-Defamation League condemned Rogan's comment as reflecting "antisemitic tropes about Jews and money".

February 2024: Promotion of Debunked AIDS Claims

During a February 2024 podcast with Bret Weinstein, Joe Rogan promoted the debunked claim that party drugs were a factor in AIDS and falsely claimed that the antiviral drug AZT killed people faster than AIDS itself. The American Foundation for AIDS Research criticized the podcast for spreading misinformation.

March 2024: Comments on Israel's Actions in Gaza

In March 2024, Joe Rogan described Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip as a "genocide." Later that month, Rogan acknowledged writer Coleman Hughes knew more about the conflict.

April 2024: Lawsuit Filed Against Onnit

In April 2024, a lawsuit was filed against Onnit, alleging that its 'Alpha BRAIN' supplement performed no better than a placebo in a clinical study.

November 2024: Criticism of the Russia-Ukraine war

In November 2024, Joe Rogan called the Russian invasion of Ukraine "100% wrong". He also criticized outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

2024: Support and Criticism of Donald Trump

In 2024, Joe Rogan supported Donald Trump but later criticized some of his policies, reflecting a nuanced perspective on Trump's political actions.

January 10, 2025: Interview with Mark Zuckerberg

On January 10, 2025, Joe Rogan interviewed Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, during which Zuckerberg claimed that the Biden administration pressured Facebook to remove posts suggesting side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine.

March 2025: Criticism of Trump's Feud with Canada

In March 2025, Joe Rogan criticized Trump's feud with Canada as "stupid".

April 2025: Criticism of Deportation Operations

By April 2025, Joe Rogan referred to the operation to deport immigrants to El Salvador as "horrific".

April 2025: Comments on the Word "Retard"

In April 2025, Joe Rogan commented on the re-emergence of the disability slur "retard" into mainstream use, attributing it to the influence of podcasts and calling it a "cultural victory".